Other than a Casserole: 3 Gifts for Someone Who's Grieving

There are lots of ideas out there, don’t limit your brainstorm to this list. These are a few ideas that people have appreciated. Along with casseroles of course! Those are still a favourite.

Ready to eat fresh fruit or vegetables. The last thing someone who is grieving (or making funeral arrangements) wants to do it wash and peel carrots. Bringing over ready to eat healthy snacks may be just the ticket. It is often not a common thought of thing to bring. Lots bring casseroles, desserts or packaged food (and hey no one is turning you down) but ready to go healthy foods might be really appreciated.

A photograph picture. This could be a printed photo of you and the person who died or perhaps the person you are delivering to and the deceased. Either way, printing out photos is a thing of the past so this may be an appreciated gesture to put in a frame or give with a card. Give a small explanation

of your choosing “This was your dad and I’s first Halloween at college” (save a copy for yourself!) or “I love this picture of you and your Nana, I wanted to make sure you had a printed copy”. There is no harm in searching social media for one either, we all know those we post as not always making it into a photo album.

A Grief Journal. Or just a journal or notebook that can be used however they find helpful. Someone I know whose dad died shared with me their appreciation for this gift that was given to them. She was using it to write down all the special memories she had with her dad and moments and memories she they learned from other people in her dad’s life. The person who gave it started it off with their favourite memory of her dad. I love this idea! Some people also use journals as a means of communication, writing letters or things that they would like to communicate to the person who has died.